Henry's Private Kitchen Is Now Open in Mesa

Last fall, Taiwan-born chef Henry Ku brought Henry's Taiwan to Tempe, serving a menu of dishes from mainland China, Europe, and Japan. Ku and business partner Richard Kuo already operated three restaurant in Seattle, where the chef is sometimes credited for bringing Taiwanese cuisine to the masses.

And as of this week, the chef and restaurateur added a second Valley dining spot to the list: Henry's Private Kitchen, which opened at 1440 South Country Club Drive in Mesa on Sunday. The new restaurant is serving a completely different menu from the one at Henry's Taiwan.

Kuo says Henry's Private Kitchen is like a "flagship store" for the restaurant chain. Unlike the Tempe restaurant, which is more a fast-casual style restaurant geared toward students, the Mesa restaurant offers a more upscale atmosphere with a "fashionable Oriental atmosphere."

He says Henry's Private Kitchen's menu features more than 200 items, many of which are hard, if not impossible, to find elsewhere in the Valley. Some of the highlights include bittermelon and pineapple hot pots, yin tsai (Chinese spinach) and fresh bamboo, and Taiwanese-style sauteed beef. You can also expect Hakka-style pan-fried dish with squid, pork, and veggies that Kuo tells us you can't find anywhere else in Phoenix.

They're in the process of obtaining a liquor license as well, with plans to add food and wine pairings in the future.

As a bonus, the restaurant will be open late on the weekends -- as in until 2 a.m. During the week dinner will be served until midnight.